


The Second Beginning

by Starlight1012



Series: The Cost of Love [3]
Category: The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29267301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlight1012/pseuds/Starlight1012
Summary: Mysse wakes up after dying in her first life. Shocked to be able to remember everything, she leaves Rivendell, making her to Lorien, where hopefully she'll be able to get some advice from Lady Galadriel.
Series: The Cost of Love [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2148321
Kudos: 1





	1. Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mysse starts telling her story, how she woke up in Rivendell and ran away to Lorien.

One could wonder how many times a heart could be broken and then mended before shattering permanently. They could also wonder how many times someone could get up to live the same nightmare day after day or how many times one could stand up only to fall later on before simply falling and never getting back up again. Many mull over how to piece back together a life, which is already hard, but even harder when you're an elf. Or rather, half-elf. 

She really didn't know how long she'd been standing there. Or why, at this point, even. Mysse supposed that it was the sunlight on the water that truly kept her there. It was beautiful, the white light shimmering and dancing across the ripples. At times she could even glance a look at a rainbow of colors when the water moved in just the right way. Hmm, just the right way. The way she wished life could've gone.

"Mysse?" a gentle voice nudged her out of her thoughts. 

She looked up and saw Legolas standing there, a concerned look on his face as he moved closer. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and lowered them to the ground, patiently waiting for an answer.

"Mellon nin?"

"Legolas? How long does it usually take for an elf to fade after their heart breaks?" she inquired. She kept her eyes on the water, its quiet murmuring relaxing her.

"I don't know," he scrunched up his face. "Not long I think, a few days?"

She should've been dead several times over already, then. Perhaps before she would've screamed out to the Valar for keeping her here, but now she simply snorted with laughter. Before she was angry, angry that after all she had seen, lived through, and did, even, she could not rest in the peaceful embrace of death. Now she watched life go by, content to be there, even though in the end, she'd still lost most of everyone she loved. 

"Legolas, can you grab an empty book? And a quill and ink? I'd like to write the adventures I had down for the little ones."

He smiled and disappeared for a moment, then returned with arms full of story-writing material. Mysse thought of old Bilbo Baggins, one of her oldest and dearest friends. And one of the best out of all of them. So she dipped the quill in the ink, and opening the empty book, started to write.

**_The Passing of Gold_**

**_A tale told by Mysse Half-Elven,_ **

**_Daughter of Elrond, Princess of Gondor, Representative of Erebor, and Friend to Men, Dwarves, and Elves_ **

* * *

_It felt like falling, only there was no end. Like a different realm or plane of consciousness. Something so deep and mysterious, yugen. Stars flew past, galaxies, and it kept on going faster and faster until it was nothing but a world of white light. Then, words._

_"You are given a second chance, to make things right."  
_

_A warm caress on the cheek._

_"Save them."_

Mysse shot up in the dark, panting in a cold sweat, her right hand clutching at her heart. Her long brown hair was tangled and her green eyes were filled with tears. Looking around the room she was in, she noticed she was in her room, the one she always stayed in when she visited Rivendell. The large window was open despite it being the dead of night and a cool breeze was gently blowing the curtains. She pushed off the silky sheets that covered her and shakily stood up. There was a cloak hanging by the bed which she grabbed and put around her shoulders. 

Making her way to the window, she leaned out a little, placing her foreams on the windowsill, clasping her still shaking hands together in an effort to still them. The wind felt refreshing against her hot face, helping to clear her mind. When she looked up, she could see millions of stars and just a tiny sliver of the moon. Even though it was small, it still washed Imladris in a beautiful silver glow. 

Mysse closed her eyes, remembering her past life. Almost immediately tears welled up and her heart clenched. "Why?" she whispered to herself. "Valar, why?" She stood there thinking of Thorin and his nephews, how they died in their past life. Of Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli. The hobbits, and how the world fell to Sauron. Her silent crying lasted for a little while, until, through the tears she opened her eyes, with her spirit reborn, yet somehow still broken. She wiped the tears away and turned from the window to look about the room again. Her regular clothes, the ones she wore on the road, lay neatly folded on a chair. All of her weapons also lay propped up against the chair. Walking over to it, she shed the night gown that she was wearing and quickly pulled on her undergarments and leggings. Shoving on the undertunic, she pulled over a more flowing three quarter sleeved shirt, more like a robe really, because it went down almost to her knees. She snatched up her belt and tied it above her hips. She also pulled on leather armguards and leg guards. Her bag, she just noticed, lay on the floor, empty. Sighing, she put her knives in the sheaths on her belt and threw on the cloak. Mysse gathered up the rest of her weapons, bow, quiver, and staff, and a couple of throwing knives she hid down her boots in such a way that no one knew about them and taking one last look around the room, opened the door silently and crept out. 

Once taking a stop by the kitchens to grab some lembas bread, she ran down the path to the stables. Her horse, fortunately, was awake for a midnight snack and recognized her, giving a soft nicker. Mysse smiled and laid down her weapons to grab the saddle and securely place it on him. Then, taking her weapons, she strapped them to the saddle so she might get them on horseback if needed. Her blanket and pack went behind her. "I'll be right back, Falasion. I just need to check the date. And on Ada."

Running up the path, she slid to a stop before Lord Elrond's study. Opening the doors, she took a peek at the calendar hanging near the doors. She gave a sigh of relief when she saw the date: September 8th, 2939 TA (Third Age), two years before Bilbo goes on his journey. "Good," she whispered. She turned back, passing Lord Elrond's door, she glanced in to see him resting peacefully.

Returning to Fasalion, she finished packing up and took him out of the stables. Hopping up on top of the large stallion, she took the reigns and gave the horse a slight nudge to tell him to run. "To Lorien, Fasalion. Our destination is Lorien," she whispered in his ear. 

And with that, she and the horse bounded away down the path, leaving Rivendell in the dead of night, with no one watching. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've decided to do some serious editing before moving onto anymore scenes. Updates will be coming for my already published works, but new ones probably won't come out until next week or so. If there is anything you want to see, put it in the comments!


	2. Stories Are Told

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mysse makes her way to Lorien, only to arrive attacked by orcs and fatigued. She tells her story of what she remembers from her past life, and Galadriel gives her advice and a warning.

The beat of hooves on the ground kicked up the dust upon the ground that lay there in the dead of summer. The hot sun beat down, individual rays piercing through the trees. Both rider and horse breathed heavily. Trees flashed by and, had it been a regular day, you would've heard the chirps of songbirds in the air. But now, all you could hear was the screaming of orcs and crash of broken undergrowth. 

Mysse looked back behind her, eyes widening when she saw the orcs were nearly upon her. Turning back ahead, she snatched her bow from her side and drew it back with an arrow. Twisting her body, she pointed it towards the nearest orc and released it, the arrow hitting its mark. Quickly drawing back another arrow, she released it again, driving back another orc. Again and again she did this, only the orcs kept coming. Once again looking ahead, she could see the bright waters of the Nimrodel, the river near Lorien. An orc crept up close to her on his warg, but then, with a cry an arrow appeared in it. Mysse looked up with anxiety in her eyes. Seeing the arrows, and of what kind they were, she called out, "Haldir!"

"Keep going! Across the Nimrodel, Mysse! We will protect you!" came the answering call.

Mysse pushed her stallion in desperation, whispering words of encouragement to him. And with a great splash, the horse dove into the waters, hooves pounding in the water, causing droplets of water to fly high in the air. She glanced back, green eyes wide, brown hair flying about her. The droplets sparkled in the air, turning until they fell back into the stream. Then she turned and disappeared into the borders of Lorien. 

Fanasion trotted up towards a pavilion and Mysse slid off. She would've collapsed had Haldir not caught her in time. The elf lowered her to the ground, he himself going with her. The young woman struggled to stay awake but eventually gave up and leaned back. Lady Galadriel and her husband, Lord Celeborn quickly walked up. 

"What happened, Haldir?" Celeborn asked as Galadriel placed a hand on Mysse's forehead. Almost immediately, a frown marred her face. 

"We found her almost to the Nimrodel being chased by a pack of orcs. We took care of them, but she didn't exactly seem herself. She never sent a letter saying she was coming, and she usually does," answered Haldir, still on the ground holding the unconscious girl.

"Take her to the private healing ward," Galadriel spoke, "When she awakes, I must ask her something."

"You may stay, Haldir. I'll send another to cover for your shift on guard duty," Celeborn spoke. He waved over a healer as Haldir again picked her up and the small group began moving to the healing wards. 

* * *

Unlike the first time she woke, Mysse slowly opened her eyes, becoming more and more aware of the world around her. First thing she noticed was Lady Galadriel sitting be her bedside, staring out into space through the window opposite of her. "Lady Galadriel?" she whispered.

The Lady of Lorien turned her head towards her and a smile appeared. "You have finally awoken, _Elen._ How do you feel?"

"I..." Mysse tried to speak, but her voice wouldn't work. Unwillingly, she burst into quiet tears, hiding her face in her pillow. Lady Galadriel gently laid a hand on her back and began to rub soothing circles until she quieted down. After taking a shuddering breath, Mysse sat up and folded her hands in her lap.

"I don't even really know. I remember dying... and then waking up in my bed in Rivendell."

Lady Galadriel frowned in concern. "Dying? I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Before I woke up, I was having this vision or dream, or maybe I was awake. Before any of this, I was fighting in a battle, against other Men. I know not of where they were from, but I felt so broken and helpless that I finally took a few paces back and just let them come at me. One stabbed me in the middle and I fell. I remember thinking about Thorin, his nephews, and all the other company, especially Bilbo. I also remember the Ring War, how Frodo and Sam weren't able to make it Mount Doom. How Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, and even Haldir and thousands of others perished at Helm's Deep. How Merry and Pippin died at the hands of orcs. Even Rivendell, Lorien, Erebor, and Mirkwood fell. It was horrid, Galadriel, horrid." Mysse began to cry again, and she drew up her knees and locked her arms around them and hid her face. 

"That was your first life, little one?" 

"Yes," Mysse drew in another breath before continuing. "After I was stabbed and fell, I remember the world going dark, and then I was in a place of stars. It was like I was falling, and the stars were flying all around me, going faster and faster until it was just a world of light. It seemed like it was an entirely different place, like a plane. I just felt like I saw the universe. Once I was surrounded by the white light, all I heard was, 'You have been given a second chance. Save them.'"

She looked up Galadriel. "What do I do now? Everything hurts, when I think about the people I loved and lost. I can't even stand the thought of being near them, for fear of losing them."

"The Valar have given you a second chance, Mysse. You must take it." Galadriel looked into her eyes. "It may be painful to see a second time, but you now know the first. You can change it. Keep this secret."

"What will happen to me in the end?"

"Many things could happen. Did not one return your great love for them?"

"Not one. I never needed it. I was perfectly content to watch them and love them as family."

"Did they not realize that love?"

"They did. But they still came to an end which they did not deserve. I had to leave them and that is what broke my heart."

Galadriel paused. "Then, be warned, _Elen,_ fading is still possible. Try to save them, little one. For your own life.

Mysse shook her head. "Anything I do will be for them, not for me. Even if it means my death, whether by fading or fighting, I will not fight for my own until they can live. Not until Sauron is gone." She looked Galadriel in the eyes and the older elf could see the steely resolve, like mithril. 

Galadriel stood up, from her chair and nodded. "Then I hope that this will have a happier ending than the first." She swept out of the room. Right before she disappeared from sight, she said, "You are welcome to come eat with us when you feel up to it, Mysse."

The younger girl nodded in response and looked down for a few seconds. When she looked up towards the window overlooking high above the trees, there was once again tears. 

"Is this the cost of love, Valar?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was such a hard chapter to write, even though it came pouring out. Really sad, even for me!  
> Please comment!


	3. Plans Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mysse makes plans of what to do until it is time to make her way to the Shire with one wizard. Sadly, that also means attempting to find said wizard.

Mysse leaned over a table covered by a map. However, she wasn't doing anything according to the map. It was all in her head. 

"If I leave soon to find Gandalf, I should hopefully find him before he goes to the Shire for Bilbo. Of course, I could go before, but I'd rather tell Gandalf I'm coming along in order to be his errand girl. In that way, those dwarves won't mess up their way through Mirkwood. Hopefully. That idiotic pack of orcs will there on the borders of Mirkwood anyway so Legolas and Tauriel will be getting dragged in anyway. But, I could already be in Mirkwood to try and get them out when Thorin decides to be a stubborn arse and get himself and the Company locked in the cells. And in that way, I could also make sure Kili doesn't get shot by a poisoned arrow. Yes, I think I'll do that..."

The rest of her words were indiscernable. 

* * *

"There's no one right way to do anything, little one," Galadriel said, gently pulling Mysse away from her thoughts. "Continue tomorrow. You have some seasons before you must leave."

"I know, I just... I don't want to mess up. I don't want to lose anyone again. It hurts bad enough taking into consideration the growth of themselves, but I cannot lose them again. I wouldn't be able to handle it. I want to stay with them so badly."

"There are some things we bear and things we cannot. Why the Valar put such a heavy burden on your young heart, I know not. But there is a reason, there must be. You just have to find it. Now, sleep."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to add this in on the last chapter, but Elen means star in Sindarin. It is one of Mysse's nicknames.   
> As usual, always appreciate comments and constructive criticism!  
> This is going to be a pretty short chapter, sorry.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll try to keep the story as canon as possible, but again, this entire thing is AU.  
> Please comment! Constructive criticism is welcome, but please don't flame.  
> Note: Yugen means a profound awareness of the universe that triggers feeling too deep and mysterious for words.


End file.
